Biogen Idec today announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted U.S. Patent No. 8,399,514, which offers additional protection for TECFIDERA™ (dimethyl fumarate), the company’s oral therapeutic candidate for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). The patent, which will expire in 2028, covers the dosing regimen of daily administration of 480 mg of TECFIDERA. This regimen is included in the proposed marketing application for TECFIDERA, which is currently under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“The patent for this dosing regimen is recognition of the remarkable innovation TECFIDERA represents for the MS community,” said George A. Scangos, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Biogen Idec. “The tremendous research investment required to study and validate the patented dosing regimen is an example of innovation that leads to meaningful benefits to patients.”

The European Patent Office also recently determined that Biogen Idec’s application for a patent covering the same dosing regimen of TECFIDERA is allowable. Once granted, this patent would also expire in 2028.